Astronomy Cafe – Nov 20, 2023

Video transcript of meeting

• Victorian Asteroids – Randy Enkin
  • Lauri Roche and Chris Gainor now have asteroids named after them
  • Peter Jedicke proposed the names to the IAU’s WGSBN
  • Lauriroche – Visible in the summer sky, 14 magnitude
  • Gainor – evening sky now, spring will be the best view
  • Past namings: Sidhu, Bettyhesser, Jamesheasser, JackAlice (Newton), Scarfe, Plaskett, Balam, Tatum, Climenhaga, Plaskett, Kavelaars, Bohlender, DAO, Crampton, UVic, Vicsympho, Makosinski, Kleewyck (Emily Carr), Frasercain
  • Congratulations to everyone with named asteroids
  • Other Awards and Honours – Victoria Centre members with asteroids named after them
• New members intro – Suzanne, Jerod (both in person)
• Lunar sketches – Randy Enkin
  • Cassini over several nights
• Swap and Shop – next week in-person at Astronomy Cafe
  • Bring your astronomy stuff!
  • Bring your money to buy stuff!
  • Send your list of equipment to Chris Purse (membership@victoria.rasc.ca) ahead of time so we can promote the event
• Website Infrastructure – project leader needed – Randy Enkin president@victoria.rasc.ca
  • Determine the scope of the project, coordinate the technical details, help Council select a new web provider
  • Talk to Joe Carr Webmaster for details (web@victoria.rasc.ca)
• Jeff Pivnick
  • A review of Circumstellar Disks by Brenda Matthews, who was our speaker from last Wednesday’s meeting at UVic
  • ALMA situated on the Atacama Desert 5,000m / 16,000′ altitude
  • Monthly meetings – future list through to March 13, 2024
  • Garry Sedun – working at altitude is very difficult
  • 134th Birth Anniversary of Edwin Hubble today
    • Lawyer, teacher of math and physics
    • Graduate work at University of Chicago in physics and astronomy
    • Started work in 1919 Mt Wilson observatory on the new 100″ Hooker telescope, studying nebulae and galaxies
    • Classification scheme for galaxies
    • Founded extra-galactic astronomy
    • Red/blue shift gives indication of distance of celestial objects
    • Several articles in Skynews by Bruce Lane highlighted Hubble’s work
  • Discussion of all topics presented by Jeff
• Observatories Observed in France – Sep 2023 – Brian Barber
  • Sorbonne University observatory – 2 domes
  • Musee de Cluny – Charles Messier’s observatory
  • Brian experienced a detached retina, so he and his wife spent two weeks resting and recovering in Bordeaux before resuming travel
  • Bordeaux Astronomical Observatory
  • Visited Arcachon, then back to Paris
  • Observatoire de Paris – Cassini family
  • Paris Meridian – geographical landmark (Arago Medallions)
  • Tours are possible at some of these observatories – see links above
• Deep Sky at IMAX, the story of James Webb space telescope is now on – Jeff Pivnick
• Astronomy Day – out-of-date astronomy magazines and Observers Handbooks are good for giveaways, so don’t throw them out. Contact Jeff Pivnick (jeff.pivnick2@gmail.com)
• Calendars for 2024 – some still available
  • Victoria Centre calendar (sorry sold out, but waitlist) – Joe Carr (web@victoria.rasc.ca)
  • RASC National Observers’ calendar and workbooks – Lauri Roche (roche.lauri@gmail.com)
• Centre of the Universe Events – Lauri Roche
  • FDAO Telescope Clinic – thanks to all the volunteered last Saturday
  • Dec 9th – fundraising breakfast
  • Dec 16th – solstice party
• Nebula from Gamma Cassiopeia, “the Ghost of Cassiopeia” IC59 & IC63 – astrophoto by Dave Payne
• Observing Report
  • Fireball spotted by Dennis F’s wife at 6:40AM a few mornings ago. Widely reported in the region, but Sid Sidhu’s All-Sky camera didn’t capture the event.
• Upcoming Events
  • Astrophotography SIG this Wednesday – Dave Payne
  • UVic speaker for Dec 13 – Far Infrared space observatory – Dr. Doug Johnston – Reg Dunkley

Next Astronomy Cafe on Nov 27th is a Swap ‘n Shop – bring your astronomy gear to sell, and bring cash to buy stuff!